Sirotkin Secures Williams Drive, Kubica Signed up as Reserve

[Gareth Jones]

So how did they get around the well-known clause with Martini that stipulates at least one of their race drivers be over the age of 25? This is by far the weakest lineup on the grid my heart sinks as a long-time Williams fan. Not sure if Kubica was a realistic long-term option but it sucks to have two relative rookies steer the team.

 

[Wolf_XII]

How could Sirotkin prove any of his F1 skills if he hasn't had any F1 cockpit before?

Did I say F1 Skills? No I said skills in general and he has shown some good potential before Red Bull decided to axe him in favour of Verstappen.

And yeah for their success choosing Verstappen was the right decision, however Red Bull has a history of using up drivers and throwing them away.

Sebastian Buemi would be one example, who just incidently became drivers champion in the LMP1 category of the WEC.

As for Sirotkin outpacing Kubica on the same compound, well that was on different days so the question is how much the track did evolve between those two runs.

 

[ociuc]

Russian money blames corruption, exploitation of poorer countries, exploitation of its own citizens, running a war game in Ukraine, etc. Money for the starts of Pietrov has not reached the Renault before. Normally I can not say a bad word about ordinary Russians but their elite are bad people and you can not do business with them.
Williams do prostitution

 

[VERT]

Russian money blames corruption, exploitation of poorer countries, exploitation of its own citizens, running a war game in Ukraine, etc. Money for the starts of Pietrov has not reached the Renault before. Normally I can not say a bad word about ordinary Russians but their elite are bad people and you can not do business with them.

How do you know? Did you see on a tv?

 

[betterstranger]

I would have picked Sirotkin over Kubica as well for one simple reason. Kubica is too old. Kubica may be a great driver but he's coming to the end of his career as a top level driver, in a top level sport like F1. The young lads coming through are showing they're able to keep up with the fast pace of F1 better than the older guys IMO.

Most sports these days are for young lads, the support they get from the team and trainers and all the staff that helps in the background just erodes any advantage a lot of experience can give. Which means their faster reactions win out.

Sirotkin is young, at the start of his career and just has more potential than Kubica. Put this on top of the fact Kubica is carrying an injury that calls into question his ability to complete a season and the fact he hasn't been racing means it's an easy decision to make. Even before looking at money incentives.

Yeah... well, remind me please how old was Damon Hill when he signed for Williams (and F1 in general) for the first time... ??? Wasn't he as old as Kubica is now accidentally?
And how old was he when he won his first WDC??? Wasn't he 36 by then??? ;-)
So Kubica still has some time. Please remember that cars in 90's were almost as quick as present ones but much more physical.

 

[larre90]

Williams has no other way to go. They cannot afford a good youngdriver. The cars are too expensive. If a paydriver crashes the car, financally it will be replaced. If the driver is not backed...

 

[Haiden773]

Good choice. People talk about Kubica being a "proven" driver, as if he's still in the same condition he was back in his day. He's not. And that's the issue. If he was, there wouldn't have been any dilemma.

 

[Turk]

Yeah... well, remind me please how old was Damon Hill when he signed for Williams (and F1 in general) for the first time... ??? Wasn't he as old as Kubica is now accidentally?
And how old was he when he won his first WDC??? Wasn't he 36 by then??? ;-)
So Kubica still has some time. Please remember that cars in 90's were almost as quick as present ones but much more physical.

That's one example, there's always going to be an exception, that doesn't discount what I said though.. The athleticism is at another level today, training is now firmly based in science and is highly effective.

The young lad still has more potential, he's more malleable and easier to sell to a young audience.

 

[Xero]

So how did they get around the well-known clause with Martini that stipulates at least one of their race drivers be over the age of 25?

I thought the same at the end of last season, but after doing some digging it was more of a soft request than a hard clause in the contract.

 

[apex11]

Part of the attraction to Damon Hill was the fact his Dad was Graham. Damon was in the best car, not to be fair as far and above the rest as the Merc, but still a very very strong car. It's all really a big PR show.

 

[ociuc]

How do you know that the sirotkin was faster than Kubica. From tv, networks and maybe from williams. Hahaha. give data on the same tires. Was he so good that the suber and Renault did not want him?

 

[wombat999]

Part of the attraction to Damon Hill was the fact his Dad was Graham. Damon was in the best car, not to be fair as far and above the rest as the Merc, but still a very very strong car. It's all really a big PR show.

You might say that was the case to start with, very much the understudy to Alain Prost in 1973.
However, Hill was extraordinary in 1994 as he took a firm hold on the not so good Williams after Senna's death, showing exceptional leadership.
If 'Herman' hadn't driven him off the road in Adelaide Hill could have won the 1994 title.
Certainly the 1994 Williams was not the 'best car', it was something of a dog and a faint shadow of the all conquering 1993 car.

 

[apex11]

Damon has his fans, I'm not really bothered by him I always preferred Schumy during those battles and I am English.
My point still stands that Damon was able to trade off his name, nothing unusual about that nepotism is rife in Motorsport as with rich kids doing it... In fact having a famous racer Dad is best of both, the money to get you racing and the 'celebrity' for the show business side...

 

[gamer19]

Got a funny feelin'....

Kubica will get his chance this year.

Jacques Villeneuve's Twitter page is going to be more exciting than the whole 2018 F1 season.

Ma man....
But seems like you don't really know him.
His Tweeter page is last updated on 13 August - 2015 !
https://twitter.com/27villeneuve?lang=en
But Damon seems pretty active:
https://twitter.com/ClaudeFortin1/status/879158460230848512
Love that answer. Way to go Claude, ma man.

 

[Knoxstar]

I honestly would not want the bulk of you as team manager if I was Frank or Clair Williams. They are not going to challenge the front it is true but is anyone outside of Red Bull and maybe McLaren for a few podiums?

Sure they have 2 drivers bringing some cash as do most teams!!! Put your personal disappointment aside. If Williams aspires to be podium visitors on a regular basis they need money to invest in the right people to build the right car. This year's car was horrible and only Merc power saved them from total embarrassment.

If you want Williams to succeed then pull for them and give them the chance to try to improve over the next few years until the new engine regs at least.

 

[apex11]

I honestly would not want the bulk of you as team manager if I was Frank or Clair Williams. They are not going to challenge the front it is true but is anyone outside of Red Bull and maybe McLaren for a few podiums?

Sure they have 2 drivers bringing some cash as do most teams!!! Put your personal disappointment aside. If Williams aspires to be podium visitors on a regular basis they need money to invest in the right people to build the right car. This year's car was horrible and only Merc power saved them from total embarrassment.

If you want Williams to succeed then pull for them and give them the chance to try to improve over the next few years until the new engine regs at least.

None of that changes the fact this guys nationality is the reason he is in F1.

 

[Haiden773]

Sirotkin is young, at the start of his career and just has more potential than Kubica. Put this on top of the fact Kubica is carrying an injury that calls into question his ability to complete a season and the fact he hasn't been racing means it's an easy decision to make. Even before looking at money incentives.

Strange how many people overlook this simple inconvenient truth. That obviously played a HUGE role in the decision. It's not some neighborhood pick-up game. It's a driver's contract. There are no do-overs, so you don't take unnecessary risks.

 

[Simracer1972]

We can run our gums all we want, truth the matter is; this sport is no longer about ethics, moral standards sportsmanship and beliefs, at least not at the top tear (F1.) It's a herd chasing that green... Williams choice plain and stupid, but whatever... I'm sure we will witness the failure of their poor judgment call.

 

[Erwin Greven]

Let's watch the season progress.